Bleach why do we use so much of it?

(Things have changed, thank Heavens - we don't have to disinfect ourselves too!)

expressdigest.com/adverts-from-1940s-50s-and-60s-show-world-has-changed/

www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-top-10-most-dangerous-ads/

I used Ecover loo cleaner (Sage and Mint- smells lovely) for several months and became increasingly frustrated that despite assiduous brushing, the loos never looked really clean.
So I switched back to my old brand - Harpic White and Shine (other brands are available) and the problem went away.
It doesn’t need a lot and it doesn’t need it as often, so I would seriously dispute “so much of it”
I think I am more concerned about the “anti- bacterial” claims made for all sorts of products even plastic chopping boards which may be contributing to bacterial resistance.
From “Scientific American”:
When a bacterial population is placed under a stressor—such as an antibacterial chemical—a small subpopulation armed with special defense mechanisms can develop. These lineages survive and reproduce as their weaker relatives perish. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is the governing maxim here, as antibacterial chemicals select for bacteria that endure their presence.
As bacteria develop a tolerance for these compounds there is potential for also developing a tolerance for certain antibiotics. This phenomenon, called cross-resistance, has already been demonstrated in several laboratory studies using triclosan, one of the most common chemicals found in antibacterial hand cleaners, dishwashing liquids and other wash products . "

We use bleach to clean the loo and a drop in the food waste bin, otherwise the eco friendly surface cleaners for sinks, showers and worktops, unlike others I quite like the clean fresh smell it leaves in the bathroom.

glammanana, yes, my mother was a great fan of bleach and other toxic disinfectants too (despite her asthma) as the advertising of the time was all about killing germs!

BlueBelle

Well we don’t all use loads of bleach apart from down the toilet every now and again I rarely use it I certainly don’t clean with it
I use some eco friendly wash up and there are lots of eco friendly cleaners too

This applies to me too!

I don't use bleach at all I use eco friendly cleaners.
At one point I think the smell of bleach had people believing the home was clean and germ free,my mother was a bleach freak she used it for all the floors and bathroom it brought tears to your eyes thankfully those days are long gone.

I never buy bleach - after all, it bleaches, but it doesn't clean. The sinks, basins and loos are scrubbed with a little bicarbonate of soda or descaled with hot white vinegar. If a surface is smooth, and free of dirt, grease and limescale, there's nowhere for bacteria to lodge.

I certainly don’t use bleach but I believe there are a few bleach fans on GN!

No bleach here either.

Must read my toilet cleanser for content and then see if I need to up my game.

BlueBelle

Well we don’t all use loads of bleach apart from down the toilet every now and again I rarely use it I certainly don’t clean with it
I use some eco friendly wash up and there are lots of eco friendly cleaners too

Same here, we really don't use much of it at all. Are people really using gallons of the stuff on a regular basis?

Well we don’t all use loads of bleach apart from down the toilet every now and again I rarely use it I certainly don’t clean with it
I use some eco friendly wash up and there are lots of eco friendly cleaners too

infoman I agree. I can’t remember the last time I bought bleach and I’m not sure whether there’s any on the house. Hate the smell of it and hate the way it ruins my clothes if I accidentally splash them. I use soap and water and general cleaning products and my kids have grown up to tell the tale. I just don’t get it and never have.

What do you suggest we use in its place?